What kept your spirits high?

Our fans and the belief that the wealthy good guys in our support would finally get the rats out the boardroom. Many games in the lower leagues the pints before and after were the highlight of the day but with our backing we would always get back to the top at some point
 
Rangers keeps spirits high. From playing Brechin or a last 16 European tie it's what, for us and others, Scottish football is all about. Everyone is obsessed about Rangers!

There have been some shocking events on and off the field to contend with but there was always the unshakable truth that Rangers, especially when back in safe hands, would be back on top sooner or later.

When King and co took control, there was a realisation of what exactly had been done to our club. It had been "raped" by spivs (for want of a better phrase) and is was always going to take a few years back in the top flight to reach the top. One thing those spivs/c.unts didn't break was the spirit of the Club and of the support.

It's been a long hard slog but from those dark days of administration through to clinching 55 - add date here - but we have come through it better and stronger as a club and as a fanbase.

Let's enjoy this moment for The Rangers and for those we have lost along the way.

We truly are the People.
 
Throughout my 33 season ticket years, there has always been a group of between 6 and 8 of us attending. That group remained, and is still intact.
 
There were some good trips and days out but tbh, it’s been absolutely rotten for the most part until SG arrived.

Warburton gave us a bit of joy and the semi final was good.

I actually struggled to watch old clips of Rangers winning things because it got me down that all I had were memories. Feel like I can go back now and watch them without feeling depressed.
 
Until Gerrard walked through the door, then it was a sense of duty that kept me going through it. A simple refusal to give up on the Club. Nothing kept my spirits "high" during the worst times, which were a living nightmare I'd rather forget.
 
napierblue said:
enter Steven Gerrard. I’m sure we all harboured some doubts raging from mild to downright panic that an inexperienced man was taking over the reigns,
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Not sure I had such doubts.

I felt Gerrard would never have come if there were not assurances from the board that he would be backed all the way.

The board could not afford another mess like Pedro. I was confident this was a real turning point.

Going back to the original post, what kept me going was simply continuing to follow Rangers. Away from the disgraceful treatment of our club and the damage done to us, going to the bottom tier and playing all the clubs there and meeting their fans and seeing their sense of occasion that Rangers were in town was slightly humbling.

Of course the more we progressed up the leagues, this sense of welcoming from the rival fans gradually disappeared
 
My spirits didn’t stay high. They’ve been up and they’ve been down, but I never gave up because there is no alternative.
 
IrvineLoyal said:
Maribor game at Ibrox beautiful red/purple sky over the main stand seen perfectly from my seat in Govan Rear, the union bears rocking the broomloan which carried round the full stadium and had proper feel of a european night.
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Watcher this in sinky’s bar, what a night.
 
Real highlights were the support. Biggest crowds in Britain playing in the lower leagues of Scotland said it all about our club. DK ousting the fatman and his crowd of spivs. Beating the rotten mob in the semifinal. Getting rid of Pedro who we all knew was a roaster. SG coming in and when shagger returned. Beating them and expecting to do so the last couple of years.
I won’t list the lows that would take much longer as it seemed we’d take 2 steps forward and 3 back but getting our hands on 55 should encourage this team to push on and regularly win silverware which is what Rangers will always be about.
 
Fellow Bears and a Rangers upbringing. There was no alternative and I never considered there to be one.

Still remember being at a Houston Texans game around 2012 and we had a couple of mates over from UK. One a Liverpool supporter, the other Man City. Was asked, "with Rangers being relegated to the 4th level, what are you going to do now for football?"

"Do you know the song Follow, Follow? It's not just a song, it's what we do"

Cheesy as shit, but that's how I felt/feel.
 
This forum, and each and every single one of you guys on this amazing forum.

Every single one of you who bought a ticket, pie, programme or strip during the hard times pat yourself on the back. You did your club proud.

While we suffered some bumps and bruises, i did question whether we would ever come back, i mean it was natural, routine pumpings from the filth and the Murty/Warburton/Caixinha horror show would have tested all of us. But as said in this thread good does triumph over evil in the end.

The fact we still have a club at all is thanks to everyone of you guys. Without all of you and the broader support, we might have withered and died. But we rolled our sleeves up and said "no surrender" and each of us kept the other going.

When 55 comes i hope we all pause to remember those not with us anymore too, as they will never be forgotten.

On a personal support the support you have all given me (through the dark times emotionally) is amazing throughout. I was heading on a bad path and some of the support from bears on here kept me going during dark personal times.

Enjoy 55 guys, we've earned it
 
For me probably other fans and the general understanding that we would eventually get back to the top (our rightful place) also having rangers legends like mccoist in and around the club at the time helped. WATP!
 
Skyy Bluenose said:
Fellow Bears and a Rangers upbringing. There was no alternative and I never considered there to be one.

Still remember being at a Houston Texans game around 2012 and we had a couple of mates over from UK. One a Liverpool supporter, the other Man City. Was asked, "with Rangers being relegated to the 4th level, what are you going to do now for football?"

"Do you know the song Follow, Follow? It's not just a song, it's what we do"

Cheesy as shit, but that's how I felt/feel.
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Though the straits be broad or narrow.
 
I’m going to be honest. Nothing did. I lost all hope a while back. Short of crawling on my hands and knees to the marble staircase and begging the clubs forgiveness, I don’t know how I can make it up to it.
 
I was young. When we played our first game in the third division I was only 10. Because of that I didn’t really understand fully what had gone on. Nowadays I’m much more aware of what happened to our club. I’ve had a season ticket since I was 5, and can vaguely remember the last time we were successful and won trophies. I think it was more hope than anything that kept a lot of people my age going. As we progressed up the leagues it became more and more difficult to be hopeful, being present at games against Celtic were we got humiliated 5-1 both home and away, 5-0 to see them win the league, 4-0 at Hampden. It was soul-destroying. But now it’s time to look back on those days with fondness. I’ve got some incredible memories travelling up and down Scotland with boys who if we hadn’t been demoted I probably wouldn’t be mates with. And it’s because of that, that when I celebrate this title with them It’ll certainly be one of the best moments of my life.
 
Not being a mentally challenged is always good to start with but in all seriousness, I just knew that from the day Dave King got in that it was just a matter of time even if it took ten years that we would return.
 
The last 10 years just have shown me what Rangers football club meant to my life. The fear of not having a club to support anymore made my support stronger than ever (not that it could get any stronger in the first place). I knew that we would be back one day and how it would feel.

it’s killed me this last year not getting to games. Rangers let me forget about my own personal shit that is going on round me. It’s a way to get get away from it all. They are more than a club to me. I’ve met so many friends through following rangers and have been lucky enough to get to various different countries around Europe following them. It’s a way of life.
 
I think naivety on my part. I genuinely thought we would fly our way up the leagues compete for league and scottish cups whilst in the lower divisions and be winning the spl within the 5 years. Only when we didnt did it start dawning on me we might never be the same. I'm not ashamed to admit it but if gerrard hadn't worked out I dont think I could have stomached it anymore. I honestly felt like the fight had been beaten from me. Every day seemed to be a new disaster.

Its mentioned a lot on here but mcinnes turning down the job is a massive turning point. In some other dimension he took the job Celtic are cantering to 10 in a row and were looking for another manager.
 
The loyalty shown by fellow bears, an even greater appreciation of our clubs' history and wee things like the work done by the Founders Trail and the RSEA helped me keep the faith. It's in the blood.
 
Mostly, I enjoyed “The Journey”.
Got to see some grounds that I didnt see before, with clubs genuinely grateful for us to visit their grounds and communities happy to see us come and prop up their businesses. Got to see players that I liked playing for us, Little, Jig, Wallace, Halliday, Macleod etc and saw some very good goals against us (particularly at Ibrox).
Most importantly, it weeded out the fair weather fans, the ones that were in it for the glory and not the flip side. Plenty of downs throughout as well, but magical moments that will live with me forever.
 
I’ve been a Heart and Hand listener for a long time and on occasion David Edgar would finish an episode with a monologue stating that we would rise again. At times it was hard to believe and at times it seemed so far off, but nevertheless I’d listen and allow myself to believe it wouldn’t always be lower league drudgery and spivs and turgid football and Mike Ashley and you know what? Here we are. It’s taken longer than we would have liked but I tell you what I’m going to be greetin like a big child when Tav lifts the title.
 
I started watching Rangers as a wee kid in the early 80s, firstly under Greig, then under Big Jock. I never knew anything thing different, just that we weren't very good. Then when I was 13, bang, in came Souness.

I suppose that experience made me realise that good times eventually return. It must be amazing being a young bear at this time. For all the teen-agers out there, this is going to be immense. The only downside is, you expect it to be like this every year. A small price to pay, that I'd take every time.
 
Just the knowledge knowing that one day we would be champions again,wasn't sure when or how long it would take but the thought of the celebrations when it happened kept me going and look where we are now ,counting down the games, unbelievable.
 
napierblue said:
Through 2012 into the Gerrard era what inspired you on the dark days? What or who kept you going? Players, staff, maybe even someone personal to you?

For me initially it was seeing kick off delayed in the Ibrox legends match as the fans filed in to support the club. I get chills thinking back to that day and the atmosphere, it was clear we would never go away.

Then it was Lee Wallace, and to a slightly lesser extent Lee McCulloch, staying on for Division 3. Not just for the loyalty they showed but for the hope it gave me (us) as fans as it signified we were still significant and that it really was just a matter of time. Beating Motherwell in the league cup that season was huge as well.

Regime change is one of the most significant days in our history, if not the most significant and whilst it hasn’t been plain sailing since at least we knew on that day and beyond that the best interests of Rangers Football Club would be at the forefront of any decisions take. Clearly a huge day for restoring hope!

After a couple of tougher years on the pitch my next big one was 2015 at Easter Road, scoring 6 against Hibs and playing some great football. Once again it gave me hope that we were on the right track and the buzz of winning that game was monumental compared to the boredom of the previous seasons.

Hampden 2016. Need I say more. Met Numan pre match and the day just got better and better from then on.

Just when it seemed we were on the move progress slowed down and I felt it was going to take something monumental to kick us back to the level we should always be at, enter Steven Gerrard. I’m sure we all harboured some doubts raging from mild to downright panic that an inexperienced man was taking over the reigns, but what a man it was. Immediately restoring us to prominence within the UK and beyond it was a huge step in bringing back the quality that is required to keep this club at the top level.

I’m sure I’ve missed some people and dates that gave me hope at the time, hopefully I’ll remember them again one day but for now whilst it was painful at times it all seems to fading away as we approach the day we see Rangers lift the title once again. My love for Rangers never waned, it’s only ever grown stronger and will continue to grow still. It’s almost time to party and in the words of the the soon to be Rangers legend ‘Lets go!’
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Smirnoff vodka
 
My Rangers friends and family and the loyalty in adversity shown by our supporters.

My father who is no longer with us, who brought me up to fight for what was and is dear to me, just as he did until his final day.

No surrender is an often used phrase but over these past few years it has been our reality.

Collectively we have embraced those 2 words and they have served us, so well.
 
Just a kid when we went into admin and didn’t really understand what was going on.
I can remember going to Ibrox the day we won the league in 2011 and loving it, thinking there was loads more of these memories to come, never in a million years did I think we’d have to wait another 10 years before we’d win the league again.

In 2012 I remember telling myself in 3 years time we’d be back to the SPL again and ready to win titles. Was gutted seeing all the players I loved leaving the club, especially Naismith (at the time I didn’t really get my old mans anger towards him :D).

3rd division and league 1 were quite enjoyable and the game that sticks in my head was a 7-0 win at Ibrox (Alloa maybe?) and high giving the old guy next to me at every goal. Little things like that showed that no matter what, Rangers fans stick together as one and always would.

The Motherwell game in the play offs was undoubtedly the lowest point imo, but Warburton coming in offered a lot of hope. Some of the football we played under him was brilliant and the cup win vs them was fantastic, something we could shout about for once.

Pedro was a disaster but I suppose it’s led us to where we are now back at the top of Scottish football and impressing in Europe.

Big crowds at Ibrox and the support as a whole kept me going and through it all I thought we’d make it back to where we belong:cool:
 
napierblue said:
Through 2012 into the Gerrard era what inspired you on the dark days? What or who kept you going? Players, staff, maybe even someone personal to you?

For me initially it was seeing kick off delayed in the Ibrox legends match as the fans filed in to support the club. I get chills thinking back to that day and the atmosphere, it was clear we would never go away.

Then it was Lee Wallace, and to a slightly lesser extent Lee McCulloch, staying on for Division 3. Not just for the loyalty they showed but for the hope it gave me (us) as fans as it signified we were still significant and that it really was just a matter of time. Beating Motherwell in the league cup that season was huge as well.

Regime change is one of the most significant days in our history, if not the most significant and whilst it hasn’t been plain sailing since at least we knew on that day and beyond that the best interests of Rangers Football Club would be at the forefront of any decisions take. Clearly a huge day for restoring hope!

After a couple of tougher years on the pitch my next big one was 2015 at Easter Road, scoring 6 against Hibs and playing some great football. Once again it gave me hope that we were on the right track and the buzz of winning that game was monumental compared to the boredom of the previous seasons.

Hampden 2016. Need I say more. Met Numan pre match and the day just got better and better from then on.

Just when it seemed we were on the move progress slowed down and I felt it was going to take something monumental to kick us back to the level we should always be at, enter Steven Gerrard. I’m sure we all harboured some doubts raging from mild to downright panic that an inexperienced man was taking over the reigns, but what a man it was. Immediately restoring us to prominence within the UK and beyond it was a huge step in bringing back the quality that is required to keep this club at the top level.

I’m sure I’ve missed some people and dates that gave me hope at the time, hopefully I’ll remember them again one day but for now whilst it was painful at times it all seems to fading away as we approach the day we see Rangers lift the title once again. My love for Rangers never waned, it’s only ever grown stronger and will continue to grow still. It’s almost time to party and in the words of the the soon to be Rangers legend ‘Lets go!’
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Family, friends some very good ones as well, our way of life, absent friends, players past and present who knew what it was to wear our famous jersey and play for the team we love. Knowing that one day we would be back in our rightful place, that has taken longer than we ever thought along a rough and rugged road. Slowly picking our enemies off on the field or within our own clubs owners. Finally taking my own son to Ibrox even when things were bad with his Rangers colours on, in knowledge that BoR senior did the same all those years ago with his own sons and that BoR seniors own father did the same with him. Never give up as to give up is to give in and then the haters have won.
 
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